The number of women taking up FTSE 100 executive board posts has scarcely
moved in two years, raising concerns not enough is being done to address
equality at the top.

The latest figures from Cranfield School of Management show just 6.7pc of executive directors on boards in Britain's biggest 100 companies are women, compared to 5.5pc two years ago, when the Davies Review was published.

However, overall female appointments to the board have risen to 17.4pc, up from 12.5pc in 2010.

But the bulk of these appointments have been non-executive posts, raising concerns over the talent "pipeline" and whether enough is being done to help women work their way to the top.

At present, chairmen are recruiting more women into board roles – some 44pc of all appointments in the last six months were women – but assigning them into non-executive posts only.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said executive-search firms should publish details of the number of men and women they place in senior jobs to tackle the gender imbalance at the top of British companies.

Companies in the FTSE 350 Index should also set up development programs to ensure the promotion of female executives, Cable said in a speech at the London Stock Exchange.

“Headhunters have a crucial role to play in making sure there is a diverse pool of talent for business to choose from,” Mr Cable said. “We are urging them to fish in a bigger pond, to identify new talent and to shine a spotlight on the selection and appointments.”

Women hold fewer than one in five directorships at FTSE 100 companies. Prime Minister David Cameron has urged firms to do more to promote women to board level, although his government has ruled out imposing quotas. A 2011 report by Mervyn Davies, a former banker, called for a target of 25pc female representation at the biggest businesses.

Eight search companies, including Investigo, Board Mentoring, Lygon Group and Veredus, have agreed to publish information on appointments by gender, Cable said.

The companies “agreed to publish the data they collect on the percentages of men and women longlisted, shortlisted and appointed to executive positions,” he said. “This will allow businesses to work with search firms that promote and are transparent about this agenda.”

Mr Cable also named the companies which still have no women on boards, despite the pressure from government and threat of mandatory quotas from the EU. These are largely mining companies.